The CDC just "had" to make their own test probably due to a combination of regulations and NIH syndrome (no pun intended). It wouldn't have been such an issue i

The CDC just "had" to make their own test probably due to a combination of regulations and NIH syndrome (no pun intended). It wouldn't have been such an issue if they didn't fail so spectacularly at designing a test. From what I gather, designing these things is not actually rocket science, more like grad-level work. The fact that local labs throughout the country were ready to go with their own self-made testing kits supports this. The focus on containment by the White House IMO was totally appropriate. When you have zero local cases, that's what you focus on... in order to buy you time to prepare, shore up supplies and disaster plans, and distribute test kits. Containment (i.e. closing borders) is the political part of the process, so the Administration focused on that while the scientists are busy designing and distributing the test kits. In theory...